comstock



(No Model.) e a Smets-smeet` 1.

P. M. COMSTOGK.

e ENGINE.

Ne. 666,692. Petented Mey 26, 1696.

M U-Pig E 6 f.. u s: Il u IIIII II 4 def-TMA@ e (N'o Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. M. COMSTOCK.

ENGINE N6. 566,692. Patented May 26, 1696.

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ANDREW B GRAHAM PHm'O-LITHO WASHINGTON DC,

IINTTED STATES PATENT Orricn.

' FRANCIS M. OOMSTOOK, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE COMSTOCKMOTOR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,892, dated May 26,1896.

Application filed July l, 1895. Serial No. 554,639. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnANcis M. CoMsrooK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Topeka, Kansas, have invented certain new andusefullmprovements in Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates particularly to engines or motors in whichfluid-pressure is used as the force to operate the motor, and espe- 1ocially to triple engines that are adapted to be used either direct or incompound relation to one another.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, andefficient triple engine in which the'cylinders are adapted to be useddirect or in compound relations to each other; and the inventionconsists in the features and combinations hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvement; Fig.2, a longitudinal vertical section of the upper cylinder shown in Fig.l, taken on line 2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow;Fig. 3, 2 5 a transverse sectional view taken on line 3 of Fig. l; Fig.4i, a similar view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, takenon line 4. of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged view of a portion of the mainvalve shown in Fig. l, taken 3o on line 5 of the same figure; Fig. 6, anenlarged view of the puppet-valve shown in Fig. l, taken on line 6.; andFigs. 7 and 8 are enlarged views of the valve mechanism hereinafterdescribed.

3 5 In constructing my improvement I use a frame portion A of thedesired size and shape and adapted to hold three cylinders in theiroperative position. The frame is preferably triangular in shape-that is,provided with 4o three portions a, c', and a2, at the ends of which thecylinders are pivotally secured. Iivoted to each end portion of theframe by means of the shoulder-pins o are cylinders B, B', and B2, insuch manner that they may oscillate to accommodate the movements oftheir respective piston-rods. Each cylinder is provided with areciprocating piston O and piston-rod C', that is secured to a commoncrank-pin o of a crank-plate G2. The piston- 5o rods are secured to thiscrank-pin in such a manner and by the location of their respec- `ofcutting off and opening communication with the interior of the cylinderand the ports and exhausts. The description of one set of these portsand exhausts and rotary valve describes the same as are used on eachcylinder, so that but one description is necessary for all.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen that the piston is at the backward limit ofits motion and the 7o rotary valve in such position as to admitfluid-pressure back of it, while in Fig. i a different sectional view isshown of the rotary valve and cylinder, which shows that portion of thecylinder in front of the respective pistons as open or in communicationwith the exhaust.

To actuate the rotary valves at the proper time, I secure to eachpiston-rod an arm E, to which is pivotally secured an actuating-rod c.8o Each of the valve-stems is provided `with bifurcated arms E', inwhich are pivoted blocks e', provided with transverse openings,throughwhich the actuating-rods e operate and slide. Each of the actuating-rodsis provided with a double set of split collars e2 and. helicallycoiledsprings c3, that form cushioned tappets and which are arranged to strikethe valvearm.

In ordinary operation as the piston ap- 9o proaches its backward limitof motion (see upper cylinder in Fig. l) the lower tappet strikes theslide-block, and the spring being compressed until sufficient force isstored the further movement of the actuating-rod throws 9 5 the rotaryvalve toward the back and places the valve in the position shown inFigs. 2 and fl, in which position it remains until the piston-rod hasnearly reached the forward limit of its motion, when the upper tappetstrikes roo the valve-lever and draws it to the opposite side of itsmotion to again reverse the movement of the piston.

In order to hold the rotary valves in their different positions, aplaten or table G is arranged directly under the valve-arm and providedwith a helical spring g, which is adapted to keep the platen normally incontact with the valve-arm, which is substantially flattened on twosides, so that when it is contacted by the movable platen it is held ineither limit of its motions. The platen is also provided with a groove gand the valve-arm with a projection E3, adapted to iit in the groove andhold the Valve for a desired length of time in a central position, ashereinafter described.

Assuming` the valve to be in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and thepiston to have started ou its forward motion, the helical coiled springof the tappet contacts the block of the valve-arm, as shown in Fig. 7,and after compression moves the valveinto the central position, as shownin Fig. 8. The piston has in the meantime performed about threequartersof its stroke, and before the valve can be shut off completely or theexhaust opened completely the spring c3 mustbe completely compressed, asshown in Fig. S, when the further movement of the actuating-rod throwsthe Valve-arm out of engagement with the notch in the platen, and by theassistance of the platen and the spring of the tappet the rotary valveis immediately and very quickly thrown to the opposite limit of itsmotion, thus openin g the exhaust behind and admitting steam in front ofthe moving piston to form a small cushion ofV fluid-pressure.

In order to use the cylinders in compound relation to one another, Iprovide an expansion-chamber H and connect it with the exhaust of theprimary cylinder B and the other or secondary cylinders B and B2 bymeans of the pipes H', H2, and H3. The inlet-pipe Iis shown at the topof Figs. l and 2 and is connected, by means of a pipe I, with theportopening d of the primary cylinder, While the pipe H is connectedwith the exhaust-openin gd of the same cylinder, so that thefluidpressure from the primary cylinder as it is exhausted passesthrough the pipe H into the expansion-chamber H, and from thence,through pipes H2r and H3, into each of the secondary cylinders, to beused in them and afterward exhausted. The passages d in the secondarycylinder are the exhaust-passages and the passages CZ are the supply orport passages, with which the pipes HQ'andA H3 are connected. It willthus be seen that the fluid pressure from such secondary cylinders'isexhausted through opening d6 into the outer air.

In order to change the cylinders from compound to direct acting, Iprovide what I term a transforming-valve K, that is interposed inandbetween the inlet-pipe and pipeH and the exhaust of the primarycylinder. This valve is provided with two passages 7c and if. for thepurpose of cutting off or opening communication between pipe H and theinletpipe or the exhaust of the primary cylinder, as hereinafterdescribed. As shown in Fig. 2, the valve is in such position that thefluidpressure of the primary cylinder can pass into the secondary cylinders. By turning the handle K of the transforming-valve to the oppositelimit of its motion, as shown in dotted lines, communication is cut olfbetween the exhaust of the primary cylinder and the secondary cylinders,and direct communication opened between the secondary cylinders and ythe inlet-pipe by means of the branch pipe z',

so that such cylinders may be operated directly by the Huid-pressure.Then the transforming-valve is placed in this position, the passage k ofthe valve is brought in alinement with the exhaust-opening of theprimary cylinder, (see Fig. 5,) and fluid-pressure may be exhaustedthrough such opening, which is at the bottom of the valve, into the openair.

In experimenting with my engine I have found that the greatestefficiency has been obtained in compounding it when a certain amount offluid-pressure was furnished the first cylinder. For instance, assumingthat twenty pounds pressure is furnished the primary cylinder andexhausted into the expansion-chamber II and fed into the othercylinders, a certain pressure is indicated in such chamber and a certainnumber of revolutions of the crank-shaft obtained. By either lowering orraising the pressure furnished the first cylinder from this point theefficiency of the engine is impaired-that is, the velocity of thevengine was not increased or decreased in proportion to the amount ofpower furnished, nor was the pressure indicated in the expansion chamberproportionate to the power furnished or taken away. Therefore, in orderto obtain an average pressure in the exhaust-chamber and maintain themaximum efficiency of the engine within certain limits, I provide apuppet-valve L, of any usual form of construction, and secure it to theexpansion-chamber in any desired position. These puppet-valves are sowell known that they need no detailed description here, and are madeadjustable, so as to obtain any desired pressure in theexpansion-chamber before any blowing offV takes place.

In operation (see Fig. 2) fluid-pressure is furnished the inlet-pipe Iand, by means of the pipe I', passes through the port d and passage d2of the rotary valve back of the moving piston of the primary cylinder.By the mechanism hereinbefore described when .the piston has reached theforward limit of its motion the rotary valve is turned so as to closethe port back of the moving piston,

`opens the port in front of it, and opens the exhaust back of suchpiston. This reverses the mai-n piston and starts it on its backwardmotion, thus forcing the pressure (see Fig. 4) out through the exhaustd', through the pas- IOO IIO

sage and transforming-valve into the pipe H', which leads to theexpansionchamber I-I. The pressure is furnished from thisexpansion-chamber to the other cylinders, but in diminished pressure,and serves to operate the pistons of such cylinders to rotate thecrank-plate and thereby the crank-shaft. (Not lettered.) The pressurefrom these cylinders as it is exhausted (see Fig. 2) is passed outthrough the passages d and opening d into the outer air.

If it be desired to use pressure direct to all the cylinders, thetransformin g-valve (shown particularly in Fig. 2) is moved to the otherlimit of its motion, as shown in dotted lines, so that direct pressureis simultaneously furnished to all the cylinders and exhausted from allinto the outer air.

The pressure should be applied gradually until the crank or main shaft,as it might be properly called, attains its maximum velocity, when thepuppet-valve can be set to discharge any excess of pressure above thatpoint in the expansion-chamber, so that when A too much pressure isfurnished to the primary cylinder warning is given to the engineer bythe puppet-valve discharge and the pressure furnished the secondarycylinders lowered to the desired point.

The advantages of my construction are that Ihave provided a simple,economical, and eiiicient multiple engine which is adapted to beeconomically and easily transformed from a direct into a compoundengine, or vice versa. By the use of an expansion-chamber andpuppet-valve the maximum efticiency of the engine is obtained with theleast amount of pressure. Further, by the use of the valve mechanismabove described the rotary valve is operated in a predetermined mannerand a cushion furnished the reciprocating piston immediately before itreaches the iinal limit of either of its motions.

I claiml. In a multiple engine, the combination of three oscillatingcylinders, one of such cylinders arranged to take fluid-pressureprimarily, a pipe for conveying and guiding the Huid-pressure as it isexhausted from the primary cylinder to the ports of the secondarycylinders, an expansion-chamber on such pipe to receive the exhaust ofthe primary cylinder before it enters the ports of the secondarycylinders, an inlet-pipe connected with such exhaust-pipe and with theport of the primary cylinder for supplying fluid-pressure to the same,and a transforming-valve interposed between the pipe leading to thesecondary cylinders, the outlet-pipe and the exhaust of the primarycylinder to open communication between such pipes and between theexhaust of the primary cylinder and the outer air when in one position,and to close communication between such pipes and between the exhaust ofthe primary cylinder and the outer air and open communication betweenthe exhaust of the primary cylinder and the ports of the secondarycylinders when in its other position, substantially as described.

2. In a multiple engine, the combination of three oscillating cylinders,one of such cylinders arranged to take fluid-pressure primarily, a pipeleading from the exhaust of the primary cylinder to the ports of thesecondary cylinders, an inlet-pipe to furnish fluid-pres sure to theprimary cylinder, an expansionchamber arranged on the pipe connectingthe three cylinders to furnish a chamber for the expansion for theexhaust fluid-pressure as it leaves the primary cylinder and before itreaches the secondary cylinders, and a puppet-valve on suchexpansion-chamber to regulate any huid-pressure contained therein,substantially as described.

3. In an engine provided with a reciprocating piston and rotary valve, abifurcated lever-arm on such rotary valve, provided with twosubstantially flat portions and a projecting portion, a platen arrangedadjacent to such lever-arm and provided with a notch to receive theprojection and adapted to hold the valve-lever arm at each limit of itsmotion and the central portion of its motion, and a spring to normallykeep the platen in contact with the valve-lever arm, substantially asdescribed.

FRANCIS M. COMSTOCK( Witnesses E. C. SEGER, T. J. ELY.

